Future Trends in Electric Military Vehicles - Interview with Prof. Dieter Gerling

Interview with Prof. Dieter Gerling, University of the Bundeswehr Munich “We should not build problems into future electrically powered military vehicles.”

2026-02-09 Das Gespräch führte Detlev Karg 5 min Reading Time

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Diesel or gasoline still dominate the propulsion systems of military vehicles. For heavy land systems such as main battle tanks, this will likely remain the case for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, manufacturers and universities are researching alternative propulsion systems for military operational scenarios. Aerospace & Defence spoke with Prof. Dieter Gerling, who conducts research and teaches in Munich, about this field.

At the Bundeswehr University Munich, Prof. Dieter Gerling researches and teaches in the field of alternative electric powertrains.(Source: just imagine - Thomas Benz) — At the Bundeswehr University Munich, Prof. Dieter Gerling researches and teaches in the field of alternative electric powertrains.
(Source: just imagine - Thomas Benz)

Hybrid drives save fuel, partial battery operation is quieter than internal combustion engines, and battery-powered vehicles produce only very weak thermal signatures - all of which are advantages on the front line. These are new approaches that are also being pursued by researchers at the Faculty of Electrical Energy Systems and Information Technology at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich. Dieter Gerling holds the Chair of Electric Drive Systems and Actuation at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich.

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